WSJ experiments with virtual reality, open-sources mobile code

WSJ has just released a special series focusing on the world in 2050 featuring virtual-reality technology, including a country report on Japan. 

The project, sponsored by BMW, is editorial-led with a focus on storytelling innovation, audience engagement and supporting the development of this new technology.

During a visit to Hong Kong, Yu told Campaign Asia-Pacific that the WSJ will be open-sourcing its virtual-reality mobile code, which the company developed internally for its digital platform.

“We want to work collaboratively with other media organisations to shape the future of telling stories using this medium,” said Yu.

In addition to empowering developers in media organisations, Yu added that trying different approaches to VR storytelling, including the use of 360 video, is paramount to understanding the medium and platform as “any rules are yet to be defined”.

So far, WSJ has released a few VR feature stories.

Similarly, in October, The New York Times partnered with Google on a virtual-reality project, which included the distribution of more than 1 million cardboard VR viewers to subscribers.